We ordered in Thai food a few days ago, in the middle of a ridiculously busy week, and they sent along some extra rice. Well, instead of letting it go to waste, I thought it was high time for a stir-fry, and what better way to use up leftover rice and a fridge-full of veggies than a veggie fried rice!

I wasn’t sure that using so little oil would yield fried-rice-like results, but oooooh was it tasty. We definitely enjoyed this one, and it’s going on the “to make again” list!

The boyfriend proclaimed that because each grain of rice is distinct after stir-frying, it’s ok that it’s not so oily or crispy. And I am inclined to agree with him. If you’d like a little extra crisp-factor, just stirfry the rice a little longer, making sure to move it around so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.

This recipe would adapt so well to any veggies you’ve got leftover in your fridge. Just add the ones that need the most cooking first, and make sure they’re starting to go soft before you add the next ones. I bet this would be fantastic with green snap peas, mushrooms, baby corn, and red peppers! I’ve tried this recipe with both white and brown rice, and think I marginally prefer the brown rice — but I can’t wait to try a few more veggie combinations. I guess this means more experiments with rice this winter!

And the reason I’ve been so busy? Well, I was recording my new DVD! Want a sneak peek?

This might well be the only fried rice and Italian opera post on the internet!

Veggie Fried RiceServes 2

2 tsp. sesame oil

1″ nub of fresh ginger, peeled & minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 red onion, chopped

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 zucchini, chopped

1 red pepper, chopped

1/2 c. corn kernels

1 Tbsp. tamari

1 Tbsp. rice vinegar

1-2 tsp. chili garlic sauce (to taste)

2 c. leftover cooked rice (white or brown)

Heat sesame oil in a large pan over low heat. Heat ginger, garlic, and onion until the onions become translucent, about 5 minutes. Bring the heat to medium-low, add the carrots, celery, and zucchini, and cook until they begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the red pepper, corn kernels, tamari, vinegar, and chili garlic sauce, and stir-fry until all veggies become soft, about 2 minutes more.

Take the veggies out of the pan and put them aside.

Check if there’s enough oil leftover from stir-frying in the pan. If not, add another 2 tsp. sesame oil. Stir-fry the rice for 5 minutes, until warmed through, stirring constantly. Add veggies back to the pan and combine all ingredients.